Manliness I Learned This Week: Job Search Edition

16 October 20087,659 views4 Comments

This is the start of a new series which I hope to share what I learned this week concerning my own manliness or lack thereof. I am not an expert in area and I feel comfortable confessing this with my readers. My story is one of a very normal life, in my opinion, but some may say extraordinary in a few aspects.

As most who read this blog know, I am in the process of finding a new job. This fact alone is quite daunting considering the sickness in our economy and the apparent pillaging of our financial system.

I wouldn’t worry too much about me, though. I have an advanced degree, tons of experience and no-doubt will have employment soon. I had a friend write me today who said, “Hey, I just read your blog. What the heck is happening? Are you and the fam OK?” We’ll be OK…I think…(in reality, it is looking I will have several opportunities to choose from).

In any event, I am talking to a few companies and they have been absolutely great with their communication. Up front, honest, and timely. Some other companies – not so much. I think this, like everything else, is a function of several other things going on in their own companies (as well as the market in general).

Manliness Trait: Do What You Say, Say What You Do

I do want to mention one person who has made a huge difference in my search. Let’s call this person, Steven (not his real name). Steven works for a big company that has not always been very good at human resources in the past. He has taken it upon himself, though, to be a complete stand-up guy with legendary integrity.

When I told him I needed more money to make my family feel good about a possible relocation, he told me he would think about it and try to convince the other decision makers of my worth. He was successful in getting a higher pay rate and did something extraordinarily manly – he took no credit for it. He said, “Kevin, I told them what I feel in my heart and my head – you are worth every penny and they would be stupid not to do it. The choice was a no-brainer for them. I had no impact on this outcome.”

Now, I know he is putting his good name and reputation on the line. I know this because I have been around. He went to bat for me and my family. In return, he expects quality and not to be let down – so again, nothing is free. But, it is a good business decision for his company and he gets someone with intense loyalty in return.

This one thing by itself would have been enough to convince me of this gentleman’s true manliness, but he did something else to ensure his legendary status. He knows how incredibly pressure filled this process is for me and my family. He understands the importance to me of knowing how I am going to provide for my family. It has never been discussed in my conversations with him, but he inherently knows what kind of person I am. He is smart enough to know my hot buttons and presses them at the right times.

He has followed up with me every single time when he said he was going to so. This is immensely to the point of why his company will start benefiting from my intense loyalty and production. I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve spent with him and he has earned my complete trust and loyalty. Now that’s manliness…

I love stories like this. It’s amazing to me how small things can make such a difference in our lives. It’s also baffling to me that these kind of acts are far and few between. And hearing or reading about them is even more rare. Thanks for taking the time to share the story. I agree with you: “Now that’s manliness…”

As someone who had to go through a job search himself in the last 6 months, The Common Man is glad to hear that you’re dealing with some good people. The Common Man was frustrated by a couple of companies he was dealing with that simply left him hanging after interviews. To find people in business who are inherently good people and who have empathy for the job-seekers they are interacting with is a rare thing. Good on Steven. And good luck with your search.